Game Thread GAME# 40: BLAZERS @ THUNDER - JANUARY 9, 2018 - TUESDAY, 5:00 PM (PST), NBATV & NBCSNW

[DUB]

Does Westbrook do Muay Thai? Because he's really good at throwing elbows.

Every time he drives, he hits the defender in the chest with his elbow.

 

[DUB]

The OKC commentators are massive homers, who whine almost as much as their players.

 

[DUB]

OKC commentator "another sellout crowd of 18,203". Must be based on ticket sales, because it's certainly not based on bums on seats. Massive swathes of empty seats in the arena.

 

[DUB]

I don't know if this is our best win of the season, but it's the most satisfying one for me.

Great shooting by CJ (obviously), he's amazing when he turns it on.

Great games from Nurk, and Baz also. Nurk did so much without really standing out (apart from the start), Baz continues to impress, and step up with Dame out.

Solid contributions from the bench. Pat had that period where he was going off, shooting, cutting, taking people off the dribble; he looked like a superstar, I was stunned.

Zach Collins just keeps on getting better, and better. He really needs a nickname.

 

[stampedehero]

A win in Cowboy world. YESSSSSSSSSSSSS! There should be no mentions of a CJ trade.......

 

[stampedehero]

I don't know if this is our best win of the season, but it's the most satisfying one for me.

Great shooting by CJ (obviously), he's amazing when he turns it on.

Great games from Nurk, and Baz also. Nurk did so much without really standing out (apart from the start), Baz continues to impress, and step up with Dame out.

Solid contributions from the bench. Pat had that period where he was going off, shooting, cutting, taking people off the dribble; he looked like a superstar, I was stunned.

Zach Collins just keeps on getting better, and better. He really needs a nickname.

Zach Collins=SkinnyZ

 

[BonesJones]

"Oh please"... do try to differentiate between extreme frustration with a style of play and missing WIDE OPEN teammates over and over and "hate" for a player. Also note that for the last 2 games I've applauded his change in style of play.

Yeah I laughed at that comment.

 

[Mediocre Man]

My unwanted observations.

Stats always seem to prove differently, but ball movement and player movement always seem better when Dame is out. Last night I kept thinking "love the movement", but we only had 19 assists, and average 18.8.....so

It looked like Collins didn't think before he launched his first couple of shots, which was refreshing.

ET needs to go. No idea who would take that ridiculous contract, but man, c'mon

Me and a few others told you all about Melo. Thank God

 

[Mediocre Man]

A win in Cowboy world. YESSSSSSSSSSSSS! There should be no mentions of a CJ trade.......

Can we bring up Dame?

Asking for a friend

 

[Mediocre Man]

Rice is awesome. I miss he and Mike on games, but love how brutally honest he is about the Blazers. It doesnt hurt that he agrees with me most of the time, as well.

 

[Boob-No-More]

Zach Collins just keeps on getting better, and better. He really needs a nickname.

He has one: Zach "No Weaknesses" Collins.

BNM

 

[SIeepwalker]

He has one: Zach "No Weaknesses" Collins.

BNM

How about Zach FUCKING Collins

 

[illmatic99]

Yes, that's it Paul George, yell at the rookie in his 3rd start; that CJ scoring is "too easy". CJ's been scoring over you all night, he's scored far more points on you than the 4 he's scored on Ferguson. You couldn't stop CJ, but berating the rookie will somehow allow him to do something that you were unable to do.

Was that directed at Ferguson? I thought it was for the lack of help defense. I kinda feel bad for George there. He looks so frustrated.

 

[Pinwheel1]

Rice taking a shot at management. Who is he talking about? Does he think management wants him to play Leonard over Davis? Noah over Collins? Harkless over ET? Those are the only ones who have lost minutes. Everyone on the team is a N.O guy.........


✔@mikerice6
What stotts has done this yr to make this team better he plays the guys who know how to play & know his system. He doesn't play who management wants,he has players who fit a system.napier, pat, Collins Davis,it's a team

 

[Scalma]

Rice taking a shot at management. Who is he talking about? Does he think management wants him to play Leonard over Davis? Noah over Collins? Harkless over ET? Those are the only ones who have lost minutes. Everyone on the team is a N.O guy.........


✔@mikerice6
What stotts has done this yr to make this team better he plays the guys who know how to play & know his system. He doesn't play who management wants,he has players who fit a system.napier, pat, Collins Davis,it's a team

Idk, Olshey was pretty whatever about Meyers in his training camp interview. That’s saying something because he tries to sell everything.

 

[tlongII]

Man Zach is going to be something else when he reaches adulthood.

 

[crandc]

I hate OKC more than any other team in the West. Probably their owner and fan base. That team should move back to Seattle.

I don't know. When it comes to hate, no one could ever top the Lakers. Even when they are terrible.

 

[riverman]

He really needs a nickname.

ZCo

 

[Blazers Roy]

I wonder why we have all these "trade CJ!!!" threads and posts but after wins over SAS and OKC i don't see the other side of that stupid coin i.e. threads titled : "Trade Lillard because we don't need him!!!".

 

[julius]

I wonder why we have all these "trade CJ!!!" threads and posts but after wins over SAS and OKC i don't see the other side of that stupid coin i.e. threads titled : "Trade Lillard because we don't need him!!!".

I'm guessing it has to do with the fact that Damian is more important to the team than CJ is and fans know it.

I think it's because the perception is that Damian's production has been on par with his career, whereas CJ hasn't performed up to what he did the last 2 years (in some ways he has regressed). I think most would agree that it is due to the makeup to the team (easier to concentrate defenses on CJ due to lack of scoring threats from the SF/PF spot) more so than CJ being content with his huge contract now kicking in this season.


(tho stats don't back that up necessarily)

 

[Blazers Roy]

I'm guessing it has to do with the fact that Damian is more important to the team than CJ is and fans know it.

I think it's because the perception is that Damian's production has been on par with his career, whereas CJ hasn't performed up to what he did the last 2 years (in some ways he has regressed). I think most would agree that it is due to the makeup to the team (easier to concentrate defenses on CJ due to lack of scoring threats from the SF/PF spot) more so than CJ being content with his huge contract now kicking in this season.


(tho stats don't back that up necessarily)

Lillard's value on the trade market is also pretty high though ,so trading him makes sense as much as trading CJ makes sense.

I'm just sick of the scapegoating of CJ i guess...

 

[julius]

Lillard's value on the trade market is also pretty high though ,so trading him makes sense as much as trading CJ makes sense.

I'm just sick of the scapegoating of CJ i guess...

It'd be easier to replace what CJ brings than what Damian brings.

 

[e_blazer]

It'd be easier to replace what CJ brings than what Damian brings.

Why don’t we NOT replace either one of them and just be happy with what we have?

 

[UKRAINEFAN]

But the one thing I love about Russ is he rarely lets me down.

BNM

That's one thing that surprised me about last night. I thought Russ let down; he was not going ballsout the whole game like he usually does. I wonder why.

 

[tlongII]

I wonder why we have all these "trade CJ!!!" threads and posts but after wins over SAS and OKC i don't see the other side of that stupid coin i.e. threads titled : "Trade Lillard because we don't need him!!!".

We should not trade CJ or Dame. They are great players. It would be like the Wiz trading Wall or Beal. Dumb.

 

[Blazers Roy]

It'd be easier to replace what CJ brings than what Damian brings.

No it's not. Think about all the teams we faced this year, how often do you see opponent players pull buckets out of their ass like CJ does? It's not that easy to find really good scorers who can handle the ball like he does.

And besides, why not look at the bottom line instead of comparing skills all the time? we seem to be a .500 team with Lillard or without him, why not get a big star for Lillard, a star who would get us over the hump?

(If i wasn't obvious enough, i don't want to see Lillard or CJ gone.)

 

[Blazers Roy]

We should not trade CJ or Dame. They are great players. It would be like the Wiz trading Wall or Beal. Dumb.

That's what I've been saying all along, they are our only relative advantage over so many other teams in the league.

Trading both of them and rebuilding is a different subject though.

 

[julius]

No it's not. Think about all the teams we faced this year, how often do you see opponent players pull buckets out of their ass like CJ does? It's not that easy to find really good scorers who can handle the ball like he does.

And besides, why not look at the bottom line instead of comparing skills all the time? we seem to be a .500 team with Lillard or without him, why not get a big star for Lillard, a star who would get us over the hump?

(If i wasn't obvious enough, i don't want to see Lillard or CJ gone.)

The reason why I say that we could replace CJ easier is that he's a short, defensively limited SG who doesn't really take over the games like Damian does.

Most SG's, I would bet, are 3-4 inches taller than CJ is. He doesn't have the poise that Damian has, nor the leadership skills that Damian has. There's a reason why he's the one that fans know and the league itself talks about.

they wouldn't get an equal star for Damian, so CJ + replacement players aren't going to get them anywhere close to the hump.

 

[Boob-No-More]

That's one thing that surprised me about last night. I thought Russ let down; he was not going ballsout the whole game like he usually does. I wonder why.

It's like he suddenly realized he's probably not going to average a triple double and has no chance to win the MVP, so why bother trying?

Cheer up Russ. You just need to focus on other goals. Barring injury, you are a lock to lead the league in missed field goals for the 4th time, and you have a very realistic shot at leading the league in turnovers for the third time. You still have a lot to play for. You just need to keep playing your game and not worry about your teammates or winning. Just go out there and do what you do. Everything will be fine.

BNM

 

[BrianFromWA]

It's like he suddenly realized he's probably not going to average a triple double and has no chance to win the MVP, so why bother trying?

Cheer up Russ. You just need to focus on other goals. Barring injury, you are a lock to lead the league in missed field goals for the 4th time, and you have a very realistic shot at leading the league in turnovers for the third time. You still have a lot to play for. You just need to keep playing your game and not worry about your teammates or winning. Just go out there and do what you do. Everything will be fine.

BNM

Which, I have to admit, is impressive being on a team with Melo.